South Dakota Coyotes Clash with North Dakota Fighting Hawks in Crucial MVFC Matchup

The South Dakota Coyotes and the North Dakota Fighting Hawks faced off in a pivotal matchup on Saturday, November 16, 2024, at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota. This game is part of the NCAA‘s regular season and holds significant implications for the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) standings.

South Dakota, with a record of 7-2 and 5-1 in the MVFC, is fighting for the top seed in the conference. The Coyotes are currently in fourth place and need to win this game to keep their chances of securing the automatic bid to the playoffs alive. A loss could allow either North Dakota State or Missouri State to clinch the bid, depending on other outcomes[3].

On the other hand, North Dakota, with a record of 5-5 and 2-4 in the MVFC, is looking to break a three-game losing streak. Despite their current struggles, the Fighting Hawks have historically dominated the series with a 64-32-5 record against the Coyotes. However, South Dakota won the last meeting in 2023[3].

The game kicked off at 1 p.m. ET and was available for streaming on ESPN+, as it was not broadcast on traditional television. South Dakota enters the game on a strong note after shutting out Indiana State 49-0 in their last game, while North Dakota is coming off a 38-7 loss to South Dakota State[3].